About 6 months ago I took in an adorable multi-toed orange kitten I named Dexter. And immediately fell in love with him because of his huge, cute mitten like feet and his complete lack of fear. He was only 3 months old and tipped the scales at only 3 lbs when I got him.
I was concerned that the older cats would beat the tar out of him when I tried to introduce him to the pride. An unfounded worry I quickly found out. He walked through my door, sauntered over to my alpha cat, Trouble, while she was eating and slapped her on the head so he could eat her food. WTH! Trouble’s expression was priceless.
From the very beginning, he would walk with me down to the barn, in and amongst the galloping pack of very large Labs that I have.
If any one of them would happen to step on him, he would immediately slap them across the face to remind them to watch were they put their paws. I guess he got tired of the dogs stepping on him so he runs as fast as he can in front us and zooms up a tree, to look at us as the pack passes underneath him.
The first week after he arrived, when he realized that he could follow me to the barn, it became a nightly ritual. One night, Ben, my newest Thoroughbred, finished with his grain and moved off to get to the hay I’d put out for them. I wasn’t really paying attention as I was very tired and it was after dark, when I noticed something on Ben’s back. Yep, Dexter had climbed the fence, got up on Ben’s back and was going for a ride! He didn’t seem that concerned and was almost curled up, asleep on him. He’s developed a small modicum of personal safety and hasn’t tried that stunt since then.
In the big snows of this past winter my other cats stuck close to the house. Fearless Boy was not discouraged nor defeated by the drifts of snow. He waded through the thigh high drifts down to the barn and back. Although, after struggling through the snow the first couple of trips he made sure to follow in my footsteps.
However, now that Snowmagedon is but a distant memory, he insists on going on walks with me and the dogs.
I kind of like having him follow us along, over hill and dale, marking our progress with high pitched screams at random points during the hike. The best time to hear him is when we cross a creek. His histronics are particularly piercing then.
He has an interesting way of walking because of all the extra toes he’s got that probably get in the way of a normal stride.
Actually, he doesn’t really ever walk, but seems to saunter from place to place. The vocal talent of this boy is impressive. What he lacks in range, he more than makes up for in volume. When he’s not paying attention to where we are going and he wanders off a little to do his own thing, he uses his voice kind of like sonar. He’ll scream and what for an answering call from me, and then tries to triangulate my position. Problem is, I’ve quit calling out to him when he gets lost. So a couple of times during our hikes, he wouldn’t cross the stream and would stand there trying find a dry way across, yelling at me not to leave him stranded. If he wants to get off the porch and run with the big dogs, I am not helping him. It only takes him overnight to get back home. But his screams can become deafening, even out in the woods. I am surprised that he hasn’t been eaten yet by a fox or coyote. The noise he makes is a distress sound, which should call all the prey animals in to see if they can pick up an easy tasty snack. But, he’s always made it home.
My stupid yet fearless Dexter
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